Method for controlling a multi-screen splicing structure having display devices capable of displaying specific patterns when detecting proximity of another display

ABSTRACT

A multi-screen splicing structure has a plurality of display devices. Each display device has a display panel, a sensing module, and a control circuit. When the sensing module of a display device senses the sensing module of another display device, the control circuit determines which side of the display panel is adjacent to the proximate display device according to the sensing states of a plurality of sensors of the sensing module. The control circuit controls a portion of pixels adjacent to the proximate display device to display a pattern.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a multi-screensplicing structure, and more particularly to a method for controlling aplurality of display devices of a multi-screen splicing structure todisplay patterns when detecting proximity of another display.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Display devices have been widely used in modern society to displayimages and information. With the increasing number of display devices,how to splice multiple display devices together to form a largermulti-screen splicing structure to display a larger image and presentmore information is currently an important topic in the industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention discloses a method forcontrolling a multi-screen splicing structure. The multi-screen splicingstructure comprises a first display device and a second display device.The first display device comprises a first display panel, a firstsensing module and a first control circuit. The first display panelcomprises a plurality of first pixels. The first sensing modulecomprises a plurality of first sensors respectively disposed around thefirst display panel. The first control circuit is coupled to the firstdisplay panel and the first sensing module. The second display panelcomprises a plurality of second pixels. The second sensing modulecomprises a plurality of second sensors respectively disposed around thesecond display panel. The second control circuit is coupled to thesecond display panel and the second sensing module. The method compriseswhen the first sensing module senses the second sensing module, thefirst control circuit determining that a first side of the first displaypanel is adjacent to the second display device and controlling a firstportion of the first pixels adjacent to the first side to display afirst pattern; and when the second sensing module senses the firstsensing module, the second control circuit determining that a secondside of the second display panel is adjacent to the first display deviceand controlling a second portion of the second pixels adjacent to thesecond side to display a second pattern.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt becomeobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiment that isillustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a multi-screen splicingstructure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first display device and a seconddisplay device of the multi-screen splicing structure in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for controlling the multi-screensplicing structure in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIGS. 4 to 8 are other schematic diagrams of the multi-screen splicingstructure in FIG. 1, respectively.

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of a multi-screen splicingstructure according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 10 to 12 are schematic diagrams of the multi-screen splicingstructure in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a multi-screen splicingstructure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first display device 100A and asecond display device 100B of the multi-screen splicing structure 10 inFIG. 1. The multi-screen splicing structure 10 comprises a first displaydevice 100A and a second display device 10B. The first display device100A comprises a first display panel 110A, a first sensing module 120A,and a first control circuit 130A. The first display panel 110A comprisesa plurality of first pixels 112A for displaying images. The firstsensing module 120A comprises a plurality of first sensors 122A, whichare respectively disposed around the first display panel 110A. TakingFIG. 2 as an example, the first sensing module 120A comprises four firstsensors 122A, which are respectively disposed at four corners of thefirst display panel 110A. The first control circuit 130A is coupled tothe first display panel 110A and the first sensing module 120A, and isconfigured to control the operations of the first display device 100A.The first control circuit 130A is capable of determining which side ofthe first display panel 110A is adjacent to the second display 100Baccording to the sensing states of the first sensors 122A. Similarly,the second display device 100B comprises a second display panel 110B, asecond sensing module 120B, and a second control circuit 130B. Thesecond display panel 110B comprises a plurality of second pixels 112Bfor displaying images. The second sensing module 120B comprises aplurality of second sensors 122B, which are respectively disposed aroundthe second display panel 110B. The second sensors 122B can mutuallysense with the plurality of first sensors 122A of the first sensingmodule 120A. Taking FIG. 2 as an example, the second sensing module 120Bcomprises four second sensors 122B, which are respectively arranged atfour corners of the second display panel 110B, and are configured tomutually sense with the first sensors 122A. The second control circuit130B is coupled to the second display panel 110B and the second sensingmodule 120B, and is configured to control the operations of the seconddisplay device 100B. The second control circuit 130B is capable ofdetermining which side of the second display panel 110B is adjacent tothe first display 100A according to the sensing states of the secondsensors 122B.

When the first sensing module 120A senses the second sensing module120B, the first control circuit 130A determines that the first side 124Aof the first display panel 110A is adjacent to the second display device110B according to the sensing states of the first sensors 122A, andcontrols a first portion of the first pixels 112A adjacent to the firstside 124A to display a first pattern 160A. Similarly, when the secondsensing module 120B senses the first sensing module 120A, the secondcontrol circuit 130B determines that the second side 124B of the seconddisplay panel 110B is adjacent to the first display device 100Aaccording to the sensing states of the second sensors 122B, and controlsa second portion of the second pixels 112B adjacent to the second side124B to display a second pattern 160B. In this embodiment, the firstpattern 160A and the second pattern 160B are symmetrical to each other.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method 300 for controlling the multi-screensplicing structure in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of theinvention. The method 300 comprises a first procedure P1 and a secondprocedure P2. The first procedure P1 is executed by the first displaydevice 100A and the second procedure P2 is executed by the seconddisplay device 100B. Therefore, the first procedure P1 and the secondprocedure P2 can be performed in parallel. The first procedure P1comprises steps S310 and S330, and the second procedure P2 comprisessteps S320 and S340. For the first display device 100A, in step S310,the first control circuit 130A of the first display device 100Adetermines whether the first sensing module 120A senses the secondsensing module 120B of the second display device 100B. Since the firstcontrol circuit 130A determines that the first sensing module 120A hassensed the second sensing module 120B of the second display device 100B,step S330 is executed. In step S330, the first control circuit 130A ofthe first display device 100A determines that the first side 124A of thefirst display panel 110A is adjacent to the second display device 100Baccording to the sensing states of the plurality of first sensors 122A,and controls the first portion of the first pixels 112A adjacent to thefirst side 124A to display the first pattern 160A. Similarly, for thesecond display device 100B, in step S320, the second control circuit130B of the second display device 100B determines whether the secondsensing module 120B senses the first sensing module 120A of the firstdisplay device 100A. Since the second control circuit 130B determinesthat the second sensing module 120B has sensed the first sensing module120A of the first display device 100A, step S340 is executed. In stepS340, the second control circuit 130B of the second display device 100Bdetermines that the second side 124B of the second display panel 110B isadjacent to the first display device 100A according to the sensingstates of the plurality of second sensors 122B, and controls the secondportion of the second pixels 112B adjacent to the second side 124B todisplay the second pattern 160B.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when the first sensing module120A no longer senses the second sensing module 120B, the first controlcircuit 130A controls the first portion of the first pixels 112Aadjacent to the first side 124A to continue displaying the first pattern160A. Similarly, when the second sensing module 120B no longer sensesthe first sensing module 120A, the second control circuit 130B controlsthe second portion of the second pixels 112B adjacent to the second side124B to continue displaying the second pattern 160B. In this way, whenthe first display device 100A and the second display device 100B aretemporarily separated, the user can be directed to rejoin the first side124A of the first display device 100A with the second side 124B of thesecond display device 100B according to the first pattern 160A andsecond pattern 160B.

In another embodiment of the present invention, when the first sensingmodule 120A no longer senses the second sensing module 120B, the firstcontrol circuit 130A controls the first portion of the first pixels 112Aadjacent to the first side 124A to stop displaying the first pattern160A. Similarly, when the second sensing module 120B no longer sensesthe first sensing module 120A, the second control circuit 130B controlsthe second portion of the second pixels 112B adjacent to the second side124B to stop displaying the second pattern 160B.

FIG. 4 is another schematic diagram of the first display device 100A andthe second display device 100B of the multi-screen splicing structure 10in FIG. 1. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first displaydevice 100A further comprises a first wireless communications module140A, and the second display device 100B further comprises a secondwireless communications module 140B. When the first wirelesscommunications module 140A and the second wireless communications module140B are wirelessly connected, the first control circuit 130A controlsthe first portion of the first pixels 112A adjacent to the first side124A to display a third pattern 160C, and the second control circuit130B controls the second portion of the second pixels 112B adjacent tothe second side 124B to display a fourth pattern 160D. The third pattern160C is different from the first pattern 160A, and the fourth pattern160D is different from the second pattern 160B. Taking FIGS. 2 and 4 asexamples, the first pattern 160A and the second pattern 160A aretriangles respectively, and each of the third pattern 160C and thefourth pattern 160D contains two triangles of different sizes, which area big triangle and a small triangle enclosed by the big triangle. Inaddition, the first pattern 160A is displayed by the first portion ofthe first pixels 112A adjacent to the first side 124A when the firstwireless communications module 140A and the second wirelesscommunications module 140B are not wirelessly connected, and the secondpattern 160D is displayed by the second portion of the second pixels112B adjacent to the second side 124B when the first wirelesscommunications module 140A and the second wireless communications module140B are not wirelessly connected. With the first pattern 160A, thesecond pattern 160B, the third pattern 160C, and the fourth pattern160D, the user can identify whether the first wireless communicationsmodule 140A and the second wireless communications module 140B aresuccessfully wirelessly connected.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first display panel 110Aand the second display panel 110B may be touch panels. When the firstpattern 160A is touched, the first control circuit 130A controls thefirst wireless communications module 140A to wirelessly connect to ordisconnect from the second wireless communications module 140B. Indetail, when a wireless connection between the first wirelesscommunications module 140A and the second wireless communications module140B have been established, if the first pattern 160A is touched, thefirst control circuit 130A controls the first wireless communicationsmodule 140A to disconnect from the second wireless communications module140B. Contrarily, when the first wireless communications module 140A andthe second wireless communications module 140B are not wirelesslyconnected, if the first pattern 160A is touched, the first controlcircuit 130A controls the first wireless communications module 140A towirelessly connect to the second wireless communications module 140B.Similarly, for the second display device 100B, when the wirelessconnection between the first wireless communications module 140A and thesecond wireless communications module 140B have been established, if thesecond pattern 160B is touched, the second control circuit 130B controlsthe second wireless communications module 140B to disconnect from thefirst wireless communications module 140A. Contrarily, when the firstwireless communications module 140A and the second wirelesscommunications module 140B are not wirelessly connected, if the secondpattern 160B is touched, the second control circuit 130B controls thesecond wireless communications module 140B to wirelessly connect to thefirst wireless communications module 140A.

In another embodiment of the present invention, when the first controlcircuit 130A determines that the first display panel 110A is adjacent tothe second display panel 110B, the first control circuit 130A wouldtrigger the first wireless communications module 140A to wirelesslyconnect with the second wireless communications module 140B. Similarly,when the second control circuit 130B determines that the second displaypanel 110B is adjacent to the first display panel 110A, the secondcontrol circuit 130B would trigger the second wireless communicationsmodule 140B to wirelessly connect with the first wireless communicationsmodule 140A.

In addition, in an embodiment of the present invention, when the firstpattern 160A is touched, the first control circuit 130A would send afile 142A to the second wireless communications module 140B through thefirst wireless communications module 140A, and the second display device100B would open the file 142A. Similarly, when the second pattern 160Bis touched, the second control circuit 130B would send a file 142B tothe first wireless communications module 140A through the secondwireless communications module 140B, and the first display device 100Awould open the file 142B.

In another embodiment of the present invention, when the first pattern160A is touched, the first control circuit 130A would send an imagedisplayed by the first display panel 110A to the second wirelesscommunications module 140B through the first wireless communicationsmodule 140A, and the display panel 110B would display the image receivedby the second wireless communications module 140B. Similarly, when thesecond pattern 160B is touched, the second control circuit 130B wouldsend an image displayed by the second display panel 110B to the firstwireless communications module 140A through the second wirelesscommunications module 140B, and the first display panel 110A woulddisplay the image received by the first wireless communications module140A.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when the first wirelesscommunications module 140A and the second wireless communications module140B are wirelessly connected, and when the first sensing module 120A nolonger senses the second sensing module 120B, the first control circuit130A controls the first portion of the first pixels 112A adjacent to thefirst side 124A to continue displaying the first pattern 160A, and thesecond control circuit 130B controls the second portion of the secondpixels 112B adjacent to the second side 124B to continue displaying thesecond pattern 160B. In another embodiment of the present invention,when the first wireless communications module 140A and the secondwireless communications module 140B are not wirelessly connected, andwhen the first sensing module 120A no longer senses the second sensingmodule 120B, the first control circuit 130A controls the first portionof the first pixels 112A adjacent to the first side 124A to stopdisplaying the first pattern 160A, and the second control circuit 130Bcontrols the second portion of the second pixels 112B adjacent to thesecond side 124B to stop displaying the second pattern 160B.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, since the first display device 100Aand the second display device 100B of the multi-screen splicingstructure 10 are adjacent to each other with their shorter sides, thefirst display device 100A and the second display device 100B aresuitable for displaying images in a landscape mode. In contrast, if thefirst display device 100A and the second display device 100B areadjacent to each other with their longer sides, it is suitable fordisplaying images in a portrait mode. FIG. 5 is another schematicdiagram of the first display device 100A and the second display device100B of the multi-screen splicing structure 10 in FIG. 1. The firstdisplay device 100A and the second display device 100B are adjacent toeach other with their longer sides. In addition, the first pattern 160Aand the second pattern 160B shown in FIG. 5 are specific and symmetricalpatterns, which are different from the first pattern 160A and the secondpattern 160B that are triangular in FIG. 2.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the first pattern 160Aand the second pattern 160B may form a pattern of an Arabic numeral. Forexample, the first pattern 160A and the second pattern 160B in FIG. 6may form an Arabic numeral “1”.

In another embodiment of the present invention, each of the firstpattern 160A and the second pattern 160B may be a pattern of an Arabicnumeral. For example, the first pattern 160A and the second pattern 160Bin FIGS. 7 and 8 are patterns of Arabic numerals “1” and “2”respectively.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the first display device100A further comprises a first gravity sensor (G sensor) 150A, and thesecond display device 100B further comprises a second gravity sensor150B. The first control circuit 130A may determine whether the firstdisplay panel 110A is in an upright position, a horizontal position, aflat position or other setting positions according to an output signalof the first gravity sensor 150A, and control the first display panel110A to display the first pattern 160A according to the setting positionof the first display panel 110A. For example, when the multi-screensplicing structure 10 in the landscape mode (as shown in FIG. 7) isrotated 90 degrees to operate in the portrait mode (as shown in FIG. 8),the first pattern 160A shown in FIG. 7 would also be rotated 90 degreesas shown in FIG. 8. Similarly, the second control circuit 130B maydetermine whether the second display panel 110B is in an uprightposition, a horizontal position, a flat position or other settingpositions according to an output signal of the second gravity sensor150B, and control the second display panel 110B to display the secondpattern 160B according to the setting position of the second displaypanel 110B.

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of a multi-screen splicingstructure 20 according to another embodiment of the present invention,and FIGS. 10 to 12 are schematic diagrams of the multi-screen splicingstructure 20 in FIG. 9. The main difference between the multi-screensplicing structure 20 in FIG. 9 and the multi-screen splicing structure10 in FIG. 1 is that the multi-screen splicing structure 20 furthercomprises a third display device 100C. The third display device 100Ccomprises a third display panel 110C, a third sensing module 120C, and athird control circuit 130C. The third display panel 110C comprises aplurality of third pixels 112C for displaying images. The third sensingmodule 120C comprises a plurality of third sensors 122C, which arerespectively arranged around the third display panel 110C and canmutually sense with the first sensors 122A or the second sensors 122B.The third control circuit 130C is coupled to the third display panel110C and the third sensing module 120C, and is configured to control theoperations of the third display device 100C. Based on the sensing statesof the third sensors 122C, the third control circuit 130C is capable ofdetermining which side of the third display panel 110C is adjacent toother displays. When the third sensing module 120C senses the secondsensing module 120B, the third control circuit 130C determines that athird side 124C of the third display panel 110C is adjacent to thesecond display device 100B according to sensing states of the thirdsensors 122C, and controls a third portion of the third pixels 112Aadjacent to the third side 124C to display a third pattern 160C.Similarly, when the second sensing module 120B senses the third sensingmodule 120C, the second control circuit 130B determines that a fourthside 124B′ of the second display panel 110B is adjacent to the thirddisplay device 100C according to the sensing states of the secondsensors 122B, and controls a fourth portion of the second pixels 112Badjacent to the fourth side 124B′ to display a fourth pattern 160B′. Thesecond side 124B and the fourth side 124B′ are opposite sides of thesecond display panel 110B. The third pattern 160C and the fourth pattern160B′ may be symmetrical patterns. For example, in FIG. 10, the thirdpattern 160C and the fourth pattern 160B′ are two symmetrical triangles.In addition, the first pattern 160A, the second pattern 160B, and thethird pattern 160C can be consecutive Arabic numeral patterns, as shownin FIGS. 11 and 12.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the third display device 100Cmay further comprise a third wireless communications module 140C, whoseoperation principle and method are similar to those of the firstwireless communications module 140A and the second wirelesscommunications module 140B (e.g., the third control circuit 130C wouldsend a file 142C to the first wireless communications module 140A and/orthe second wireless communications module 140B through the thirdwireless communications module 140C), so it will not be repeated here.In addition, in an embodiment of the present invention, the thirddisplay device 100C may further comprise a third gravity sensor 150C,and its operation principle and method are similar to those of the firstgravity sensor 150A and the second gravity sensor 150B, so it will notbe repeated.

In summary, when the control circuit detects the proximity of anotherdisplay device according to the sensors of the sensing module, thepixels of the display panel adjacent to the other display device woulddisplay a corresponding pattern. Accordingly, the user may splice thedisplay devices of the multi-screen splicing structure (e.g., a splicingsequence, wireless connection states, etc.) according to the patternsdisplayed on the display panels of the multi-screen splicing structure.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for controlling a multi-screen splicingstructure, the multi-screen splicing structure comprising: a firstdisplay device, comprising: a first display panel comprising a pluralityof first pixels; a first sensing module comprising a plurality of firstsensors respectively disposed around the first display panel; and afirst control circuit coupled to the first display panel and the firstsensing module; and a second display device, comprising: a seconddisplay panel comprising a plurality of second pixels; a second sensingmodule comprising a plurality of second sensors respectively disposedaround the second display panel; and a second control circuit coupled tothe second display panel and the second sensing module; the methodcomprising: when the first sensing module senses the second sensingmodule, the first control circuit determining that a first side of thefirst display panel is adjacent to the second display device andcontrolling a first portion of the first pixels adjacent to the firstside to display a first pattern; and when the second sensing modulesenses the first sensing module, the second control circuit determiningthat a second side of the second display panel is adjacent to the firstdisplay device and controlling a second portion of the second pixelsadjacent to the second side to display a second pattern.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern aresymmetrical to each other.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the firstpattern and the second pattern form a pattern of an Arabic numeral. 4.The method of claim 1, further comprising: when the first sensing moduleno longer senses the second sensing module, the first control circuitcontrolling the first portion of the first pixels adjacent to the firstside to continue displaying the first pattern; and when the secondsensing module no longer senses the first sensing module, the secondcontrol circuit controlling the second portion of the second pixelsadjacent to the second side to continue displaying the second pattern.5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: when the first sensingmodule no longer senses the second sensing module, the first controlcircuit controlling the first portion of the first pixels adjacent tothe first side to stop displaying the first pattern; and when the secondsensing module no longer senses the first sensing module, the secondcontrol circuit controlling the second portion of the second pixelsadjacent to the second side to stop displaying the second pattern. 6.The method of claim 1, wherein the first display device furthercomprises a first wireless communications module, the second displaydevice further comprises a second wireless communications module, andthe method further comprises: when the first wireless communicationsmodule and the second wireless communications module are wirelesslyconnected, the first control circuit controlling the first portion ofthe first pixels adjacent to the first side to display a third pattern,and the second control circuit controlling the second portion of thesecond pixels adjacent to the second side to display a fourth pattern;wherein the first pattern is displayed by the first portion of the firstpixels adjacent to the first side when the first wireless communicationsmodule and the second wireless communications module are not wirelesslyconnected, and the second pattern is displayed by the second portion ofthe second pixels adjacent to the second side when the first wirelesscommunications module and the second wireless communications module arenot wirelessly connected; and wherein the third pattern is differentfrom the first pattern, and the fourth pattern is different from thesecond pattern.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first displaypanel is a touch panel, the first display device further comprises afirst wireless communications module, the second display device furthercomprises a second wireless communications module, and the methodfurther comprises: when the first pattern is touched, the first controlcircuit controlling the first wireless communications module towirelessly connect to or disconnect from the second wirelesscommunications module.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the firstdisplay panel is a touch panel, the first display device furthercomprises a first wireless communications module, the second displaydevice further comprises a second wireless communications module, andthe method further comprises: when the first pattern is touched, thefirst control circuit sending a file to the second wirelesscommunications module through the first wireless communications module,and the second display device opening the file.
 9. The method of claim1, wherein the first display panel is a touch panel, the first displaydevice further comprises a first wireless communications module, thesecond display device further comprises a second wireless communicationsmodule, and the method further comprises: when the first pattern istouched, the first control circuit sending an image to the secondwireless communications module through the first wireless communicationsmodule, and the second display panel displaying the image.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first display panel is a touch panel, thefirst display device further comprises a first wireless communicationsmodule, the second display device further comprises a second wirelesscommunications module, and the method further comprises: when the firstcontrol circuit determines that the first display panel is adjacent tothe second display panel, the first control circuit enabling the firstwireless communications module to wirelessly connect with the secondwireless communications module.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein whenthe first wireless communications module and the second wirelesscommunications module are wirelessly connected and the first sensingmodule no longer senses the second sensing module, the first controlcircuit controls the first portion of the first pixels adjacent to thefirst side to continue displaying the first pattern.
 12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein when the first wireless communications module and thesecond wireless communications module are not wirelessly connected andthe first sensing module no longer senses the second sensing module, thefirst control circuit controls the first portion of the first pixelsadjacent to the first side to stop displaying the first pattern.
 13. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the multi-screen splicing structure furthercomprises: a third display device comprising: a third display panelcomprising a plurality of third pixels; a third sensing modulecomprising a plurality of third sensors respectively disposed around thethird display panel; and a third control circuit coupled to the thirddisplay panel and the third sensing module; and the method furthercomprises: when the third sensing module senses the second sensingmodule, the third control circuit determining that a third side of thethird display panel is adjacent to the second display device andcontrolling a third portion of the third pixels adjacent to the thirdside to display a third pattern; and when the second sensing modulesenses the third sensing module, the second control circuit determiningthat a fourth side of the second display panel is adjacent to the thirddisplay device and controlling a fourth portion of the second pixelsadjacent to the fourth side to display a fourth pattern.
 14. The methodof claim 13, wherein the first pattern, the second pattern, and thethird pattern are consecutive Arabic numeral patterns.